Theodore Roosevelt National Park is in North Dakota, western North Dakota in the badlands. The park is a little unusual from your “average national park” – #1 because it’s named in honor of a president, and #2 because it comprises of three different areas;

South Unit

North Unit

Elkhorn Ranch Unit

This means that your directions will change depending on which unit of the park you’re gonna’ visit.

Right, let’s start at the beginning;

South Unit – the entrance to the South Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park is in Medora, North Dakota, and can be reached via I-94 exits 24 or 27 in North Dakota. The town of Medora is around 133 miles to the west of Bismarck, North Dakota, and around 27 miles to the east of the state line for Montana.

North Unit – the entrance to the North Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park is on Hwy 85. It’s actually located about 50 miles to the north of Belfield, North Dakota, and around 16 miles to the south of Watford City, North Dakota. Driving from Medora to the North Unit is a distance of 70 miles or so. There’s access to Hwy 85 from I-94 at Exit 42, Belfield, North Dakota.

Elkhorn Ranch Unit – the entrance to this portion of Theodore Roosevelt National Park is approximately 35 miles from Medora, North Dakota on the northern side. Be warned that this access is via gravel roads, and if you are coming from the east it does entail crossing the Little Missouri River so you really need to check out the conditions with a Park Ranger at the visitors center before setting off along your travels.

Always be courteous to other road users – whoever, or whatever they are!

Flying to Theodore Roosevelt National Park

There is an air service available to the following nearby towns in western North Dakota; Bismarck, Williston and Dickinson.

Theodore Roosevelt National Park by Public Transport

There is a bus service along the I-94 which stops at Medora, North Dakota, only three blocks away from the entrance to the South Unit of the park. There are no bus services running to the North Unit along Hwy 85.